At the 63rd Conference on Decision and Control (CDC 2024) in Milan, Italy, our team presented our autonomous e-scooter prototypes in a session titled "Discover the Future of Micromobility: Autonomous E-Scooter Demonstration." The demonstration highlighted advancements in self-balancing and autonomous navigation technologies aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of micromobility systems.
Addressing Micromobility Challenges
Micromobility solutions, such as e-scooter sharing systems, offer practical alternatives for urban transportation, reducing traffic congestion and emissions. However, challenges such as cluttered sidewalks, the need for frequent charging, and manual redistribution of scooters remain significant hurdles.
Our autonomous e-scooter addresses these issues through control technologies, enabling our vision of the future:
- Self-Balancing and Autonomous Navigation: Using control algorithms and sensors, the scooter navigates urban environments autonomously.
- Demand-Based Relocation: Scooters reposition themselves to areas with higher demand, optimizing fleet availability.
- Contactless charging: Interaction with charging stations allows for automatic recharging without manual intervention.
At the heart of the navigation system is a model predictive control strategy that enables precise path-following, supported by low-level controllers managing inputs to the scooter's actuators.
Live Demonstrations at CDC 2024
During the conference, attendees watched live demonstrations of the scooter's ability to autonomously navigate and balance between 10:00 and 15:30. The sessions were complemented by discussions on the technical implementation of the prototype and its potential applications in urban transportation systems.
Learn More
We invite those interested in sustainable and efficient micromobility solutions to explore our project and see the prototype in action. For more information, please visit estarling.io.
We thank our project leaders Felix Brändle, David Meister, Marc Seidel, and Robin Strässer for presenting the e-scooters, as well as MobiLab for the financial support of the project.
